The Ducati 851 is a long-standing icon in the sport bike world. Leading the charge to Ducati’s dominant run of WSBK titles, the 851 was as successful on the showroom/street as it was on the track. Simultaneously introducing liquid cooling, fuel injection and four valve desmo heads, the 851 was both the leading edge of…
Ducati is responsible for some of the most iconic motorcycles in the world. They are also purveyors of more marketing ploys than any other manufacturer, as evidenced by the endless parade of Limited Edition models. Therefore, words like “special” and “rare” are used so often as to appear meaningless. But limited numbers aside, Ducati has…
If “916” were the punchline, the joke would surely start out with: “These two Italians walk into a bar….” And while it is true that the 916 was the love child of Massimo Tamburini’s striking design and Massimo Bordi’s shrieking new v-twin, the 916 was no joke. This was a watershed bike for Ducati –…
In -R trim, the Ducati 1098 was actually a homologation special with the new 1198cc engine. In a win-win for the dealerships’ best customers, Ducati ceded some trackside modifications to get increased displacement, meaning that the showroom -R came with equipment that the racers would need, and street riders normally could just dream about. 2008…
Ducati’s modern era really started here, with the 851. The air-cooled Pantah engine, with its rubber cam belts, was a step forward, compared to the bevel-drive twins and set the stage for Ducati’s move into the future. But it was the liquid-cooled, four-valve version of their classic L-twin that finally brought them fully into the…
When the 999 series was introduced in 2003 as the successor to the fantastic 916/996/998 genealogy of Ducati Superbikes, the world collectively groaned. Far removed from the sexy, flowing lines of the Tamburini-penned predecessors, the Terblanche-designed 999 series was rough and angular. The stacked headlight arrangement made the bike instantly recognizable in the sort of…
The 888 was designed by Pierre Terblanche and a light update to the muscular 851, Ducati’s first desmoquattro. American Doug Polen had won the 1991 Superbike World Championship on an uprated 851, and the 888 homolagated the changes for the next year, returning with the #1 plate. This 888 has been treated to a silky…
As Ducati prepared the testastretta and over-under fairing design, the 748’s days were also numbered. Though well-used with 20,000 miles, this matte-finished 748S has also been well loved, with great-looking fairings, fresh tires, and many carbon accents. 2002 Ducati 748S for sale on eBay Though it gives away a quarter liter to the 996,…